VOTE 2024

Anne Piervincenzi
October 13, 2024

Two weeks ago today, we pulled into our son’s driveway in Maryland, not
knowing for how long we’d be staying.

Each day that passes reveals the extreme level of devastation in Western North Carolina. The loss of lives, first and foremost. The loss of livelihoods. The loss of
homes. Neighbors and neighborhoods. Social interactions and gatherings. Running
water for drinking, brushing teeth, showering, doing laundry. Use of the internet.

But each day also reveals the strong hearts, minds, and bodies of our citizens.
Folks helping folks, government agencies on all levels showing up in force to rebuild
roads and bridges, distribute food, water, and clothing, and assist with bureaucratic
applications and procedures. The national and international nonprofits: the Salvation
Army, Red Cross, WCK, Samaritan’s Purse, the YMCA, Manna food bank, and too
many others to name. Local philanthropic organizations like BeLoved Asheville, Root
Cause, churches, synagogues, etc.

Shelters have emerged in vacant buildings, even cocktail lounges. Local
restauranteurs are offering free meals and respite from the social isolation, even as
many of these eateries have lost their own brick and mortar establishments.
Trailers have emerged housing shower, laundry, and toilet facilities. Individuals
who have these in their homes are inviting friends to share them.
And so, amid all the loss and hardship, there is fellowship and generosity.

Here in Maryland we watch the news and grieve and wonder from afar. Our
contribution is in our absence, and in not contributing to the use of valuable
resources. We donate and wait. We are among the fortunate whose lives, homes, and
properties are intact. Aside from spoiled food and dying houseplants, we are relatively
unscathed.

Except . . . Our beautiful and unique communities are forever altered. We wonder,
will this be repeated? Can our town/city ever recover? People have been relocating to
WNC for years to escape events like this. My heart goes out to them.

The future, by definition of course, is unknowable but there is a new level of
uncertainty and concern here in WNC, and in fact, globally. All the above mentioned
organizations and actions are merely bandaids for a much larger issue. Resources are
not unlimited.

Will people be able to reflect reality and vote sensibly? We need to choose the
candidate that will address these very real and threatening issues. The local Board of
Elections is an excellent place to start for information on polling places, dates, and
times, and how to apply for an Absentee ballot, if needed.
Vote 2024.